Rufus Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 I love LEGO® trucks. I just can't help myself when a new civilian range comes out; last year's range was great, and this year's looks set to continue the current trend. My love of, specifically, petrol tankers can be traced back directly to this set - one of the first sets I remember owning, and ground-breaking for its time. But time has moved on, and LEGO sets have become far more intricate. The release of an Octan tanker relatively soon after 2010's 3180 Tank Truck is rather surprising; in this review I'll check out the latest offering and see how it compares to its (slightly) older sibling. Incidentally, 3180 was one of the first sets I reviewed early in my EB Reviewers Academy career. If you compare to my earlier review, you can see how I've (hopefully) improved! Review: 60016 Tanker Truck Set InformationName: Tanker Truck Number: 60016 Theme: CITY Release: 2013 January Wave Parts: 191 Figs: 1 Price: GB £17.99 | US $19.99 | EUR 19.99 - 22.99 | AU $29.99 | CA $24.99 | DKK 179.95 Keep the LEGO® City vehicles moving with the powerful Tanker Truck!Keep LEGO® City moving with the Tanker Truck! Deliver another load of gasoline to the tank station! Back the truck into position, connect the hose and fill up the pump! Then climb onto the roof and close the fuel valve. With so many cars, trucks and motorcycles in LEGO City, the Tanker Truck driver's job is never done. Includes a Tanker Truck driver minifigure. Includes Tanker Truck driver minifigure Features retractable hose, valve and fire extinguisher Gas pump features terminal and filler hose Accessories include coffee cup and a ladder Refuel the gas pump! Reel in the fuel hose! Keep the vehicles of LEGO® City fueled! Measures over 3" (8cm) high, 7" (19cm) long and 2" (7cm) wide Links Brickset ... Shop@Home ... Bricklink ... Peeron (not yet listed) The Box Click for a full-frontal view in various sizes Once again, Orthanc dominates the LEGO CITY skyline, while our Tanker breaks the fourth wall into the familiar blue CITY livery. It's a tried and tested formula, dating back a full ten years to the advent of World City in 2003, but still looks fresh. The box is deep, measuring 260 x 188 x 70 mm (W x H x D); it's the same height as 3180 but considerably narrower and shallower. This set is GB £3 pricier than 3180, which had 30 more pieces; the smaller box size therefore represents an environmentally-conscious move by TLG (or, for the cynics among you, a cost-saving in logistics ). HEY! Look at these features! Ladder, gun-on-a-hose, coffee mug replete with petrol fumes, ladder again, and cab the dude can sit in! What more could you want? We'll examine these features in depth in due course. Click for larger sizes The usual CITY modular build is alluded to, rather than demonstrated this time: we are shown two bags falling from the box but not what they build. However, LEGO's new subversive 'Pokemon' Collect Them All! strategy once again appears, but there are only two other civvy sets this year, so you'll have to go back and complete your collection with last year's. And you should - they're good! The little petrol pump that accompanies the tanker gets its moment in the limelight on the top of the box: Quite why it's isolated in a field on the City outskirts is anyone's guess, and I'm still uncomfortable with the driver's delight at drinking coffee in the close proximity of flammable liquids, particularly as it occurs to me now that the black tubing might well represent Diesel. At least he isn't smoking! Apologies, by the way, to Americans: please substitute 'gas' for any appearance of the word 'petrol'. Contents The thumb-tab box opens to reveal two polybags, instructions, and sticker sheet fitting quite snugly inside. They are accompanied by two loose parts: the hose-and-gun combo. Only one is required in the set; whether the second will appear in everyone's, or I've just been lucky, remains to be seen. Decal Sticker Sheet Oooh, shiny! The sticker sheet is printed on white material that is rather reflective, and required careful photography to remain clear. As has been the trend of late, the front of the cab is stickered, but as we shall see it doesn't entirely replace the usual grille tiles. There's a sticker for the petrol pump (top left); the rest go on the truck. The Instructions The single booklet is of good quality, and features a display very similar to the box front, but with a slightly broader panorama. The Gagne Kid guards the rear, presumably to deter people from sneaking a look at the inventory. The Modular Build is demonstrated on the inside front cover: Bag Two's cab and tank builds don't connect directly without Bag One's chassis; obviously the disembodied wheels don't. Having looked at this page, naturally by now you would have poured all the parts onto the carpet, albeit in separate piles. Too late, the opposite page warns us not to do this. Winding the hose onto the reel could prove challenging to younger kids; or at least doing it neatly (it's tricky enough for adults). Maybe I'm underestimating the capabilities of the average 6-year-old. I should remember that programming the VHS caused young Rufus far less trouble than his elders! [VHS = archaic system for recording moving pictures onto magnetic tape, for those interested in ancient history.] You might have noticed the part call-outs on the previous picture. Yes, they are present throughout: This surprised me, in such a small set. With typically only 1-3 parts per step, it isn't strictly necessary, but I for one won't complain. Towards the rear we find the latest CITY range diorama, showcasing the new yellow cement mixer , and the strange 1950s-throwback recovery truck : The two sets from 2012 promoted in the 'Collect Them All!' series also feature here: 4433 Garbage Truck and 4432 Dirt Bike Transporter . The latter is a great set! I'm secretly hoping the garage at the left appears as a set soon. The set inventory is found on the last two pages: you can see them here and here. The PartsBag One builds the chassis, along with the petrol pump and solitary figure: There isn't a huge amount of interest here. Most of the incongruous blues and browns will be buried in the final model. I'm pleased to see the black flexible tube make another appearance here; it was in 3180 too. The yellow taps, not surprisingly, are the modern variety, without the little hole at the end; one of them is spare. I have a sudden inexplicable desire for spaghetti carbonara followed by biscotti with Vin Santo: Opening bag two, I was momentarily alarmed at the prospect of flick-fire missiles appearing in CITY sets. Fortunately, that is not their use here, though the cynic in me wonders whether TLG is trying to demonstrate alternative uses for these ubiquitous pieces. Otherwise, there isn't really anything of note here, with the possible exception of ... ... this piece, which is found once in both bags: It's a 2x2 brick with studs on one side. It's new to me, but I note that it first appeared in Bag End at the end of last year, and in several sets this year. It's potentially very useful for SNOT work. The FigureThe sole figure included in this set wears blue overalls, unlike the 'Oil' jacketed figure from 3180. Let's call him Diesel Dave. He has a rather bland, amiable countenance; I'd rather he had an unshaven scowl. The torso is nice, with some lovely detailing; the black vest under a medium blue shirt, all surmounted by the darker blue (presumably denim) overalls with wrenches and a pencil in the pocket. But it's nothing new: this torso first appeared in 2006. The back is featureless. The BuildThe first thing built is the little free-standing petrol pump. We'll see it complete later; here I've part-disassembled it to show a simple but nice technique: Three 2x2 white jumpers are used to centre the upper part, and allow attachment of the bluish-grey wheel. The 2x2 black tile is attached to the two white 1x1 bricks with stud on one side; I had wondered why one of the new 1x2 bricks with side studs wasn't used, but you can see that another of these white 1x1 bricks is used in the model, and it makes economic sense to use as small a part variety as possible. The black tile itself will be stickered, and represents the pump's display; the whole is capped by a 2x4 tile offset via its centre anti-studs. The black tube is a little too rigid to allow posing of the figure holding the pump unless both are connected to a baseplate or other studded surface, unfortunately; about the only viable pose on a smooth surface is shown here. Building the chassis will be a familiar routine to anyone who has experience of LEGO's trucks. Long plates form the spine; 2x2 axle plates are separated by either 1x2 tiles or plates; I'm not sure why the tiles were used rather than the 1x2 green plates along the length. Note the black 2x6 modified SNOT plate at the end: this is surmounted by a 1x4 SNOT brick, forming a 2x4 grid of studs for the secure attachment of the rear SNOT panel. The spine is strengthened with more long plates and the rather incongrous brown bricks, which don't show in the final model. I didn't think the 'mustard dispenser' would fit into the cupboard, but it does! Getting it out again requires nimble fingers or vigorous shaking. The front-end SNOT panel has a green modified 2x6 SNOT plate; the top studs mesh with the black 2x4 tiles for extra strength. There's a lot of tiling (or part-tiled plates) on the upper surface here; this allows the cab section to be removed easily should you wish too. The rear end is topped by a 4x10 plate; this leaves a gap underneath which would indeed be found on many trucks, but there's a visible red plate under there. In the final inset you can see the rear-end SNOT panel; the grille-tiled area is a plate lower, which looked a little odd, but there's a good reason for this, as we shall see. I took a lot of extra pictures; if you want to see more steps, check out the pseudo-timelapse in the Flickr display in the spoilers: Bag Two starts with the cab, which is based on a green 6x6 plate. Two friction cylinders form the exhausts; it is into these that the flick-fires will go. I remember a lot of complaints from about three years ago about the lack of doors on LEGO CITY vehicles; it's good to see that TLG has listened and they appear to have returned to stay. The rear of the cab is formed from large wall panels; this leaves a couple of gaps but they aren't too obvious on the finished set. Note the use of the 1x2 SNOT brick here, allowing placement of the steering wheel, and permitting easy reconfiguration to right hand drive for those parts of the world where British influence persists. Yet another of those rather useful modified SNOT plates allows a strong attachment of the windscreen: The obligatory coffee mug takes pride of place, and the whole is capped by the usual 4x6 wedge panel. I like the new wing mirror technique; it means the mirrors can't be adjusted, but this also means they're unlikely to get knocked out of place when you're posing for display or photos. The tank itself is an Octan-themed sandwich which will be familiar to owners of 3180. There is a slight difference: the red plates are the same length as the big green bicurved slopes, meaning that the front and back halves can be separated until the top 1x8 tiles are applied. The two bluish-grey wheels on the top are an aesthetic improvement over the 2x2 round plates on 3180. Cab and tank are applied to the chassis, the wheels are attached ... ... and the truck is complete! We'll look at the overall appearance in the next section. The Complete Set Look! I put the stickers on! Actually, I enlisted the help of a passing monkey who did a demonstrably better job than I'd have done. Let's take a look around, starting with the sides. Both sides are similar; the right side has the 2x3 cupboard and a dark bley grille brick in place of the reel and clip found on the other side: The lines are smart; there are a few exposed studs above the reel/cupboard sections, but at least they are a consistent colour unlike the rear section of 3180. I particularly like the step in the red stripe from the cab to tank sections. The back end is a little 'square': made more apparent by the slight inward slope of the ladder. This can of course be corrected, but as we shall see the ladder tends to prefer this position. The cab looks quite imposing from the front, and is very realistic. It's helped by the sticker over the white 2x4 tile; if you look back to the first picture in this section, you can see how the sticker continues neatly the red and green stripes from the sides. From the back, you can see how the recessed grille tiles of the lower SNOT panel accept the end of the ladder. This is the cause of the inward-sloping ladder; if you don't like this, you can easily insert a 1x4 plate under those tiles, but this will cause the ladder to slope slightly the other way. You might prefer this. The exposed Technic holes of the large green and white curve-slope blocks are a little ugly - a fault carried over from 3180 - but it isn't too obvious. FeaturesNow we can analyse how the features so proudly espoused by the box rear stand up to scutiny. Dude sits in cab, and doors open. As is frequently the case with LEGO trucks, getting the dude into the cab takes a little work - often you have to remove the windscreen as well as the white roof panel, which means the doors will come off too. In this shot, the gap in the black layer between the front headlights is a little obvious, but it isn't the end of the world. [There should be a little recess under between the two sets of headlights, caused by the cab suspension in this type of vehicle, but it's more pronounced because the black plates at the sides are set a stud back from the tiles; I don't think it would be possible to correct this. - Thanks Phazon for pointing this out.] Dave climbs the ladder in the second shot. I don't have much else to say about this. The hose-reel is really the centre-piece of Tanker sets. I remember being amazed by the hose in 1978's 671 Shell Tanker. As I recall, that one was simply a length of hose that you had to stuff into the cupboard - no winch mechanism there - but it was an awesome feature. Here, as in 3180, the reel winch is super. Dave's got a bit tangled here. Fancy a hot dog? Dave has mustard if you need it. Yes, I know, it's a fire extinguisher. As I mentioned before, it can be a little tricky to remove. It's not really an intentional feature, but the flick-fire parts atop the exhausts can be extended slightly for that 'RC' look, should that take your fancy. The bley parts on top of the black exhausts look a little odd. This is a good angle to admire the roof on the tank: the wheels are a smart improvement over 3180. Again not a feature, but it needs pointing out: The rear axles have an open space above, which exposes a red plate from the chassis. On the plus side, with the white 2x2 jumper and green 1x2 plates, this continues the Octan theme; I'd expect a real truck not to be painted in this area, and you can easily substitute these parts for bley or dark bley if the exposed colours bother you. ComparisonI never applied the stickers to 3180, so in the interest of fairness I've made the comparison with the 'bare' 60016. To see the stickers on 3180, there's an official picture on Brickset. I actually prefer the newer cab front - even without the sticker, it's neater and more imposing than the heavily-grilled 3180. Here you can see the difference in the wing mirrors; each method has its advantages: 3180's mirrors are adjustable, but more fragile and prone to getting knocked; 60016's are longer, which may be more realistic, and rigid. Obviously, 3180 is a tractor-trailer (semi-container) arrangement compared to 60016's single chassis. 3180 is therefore longer, and more manouverable; in addition, it is perhaps a little more realistic: while examples of both types exist in real life, in the UK at least most tanker trucks you'll see on the road have a tractor-trailer configuration. The single-chassis tankers might be found more commonly at airports, for example. Less obvious is that 60016 is a taller model. It's also neater: a complaint of mine about 3180 was the exposed studs at the rear (see this picture from my rather embarrassing early review). As I've mentioned previously, the white tiles and bley wheels on top of the tank are smarter than 3180's studded round plates. Sadly, the little pump from 3180 has done a runner so I can't compare those. The difference in height is made clear in this front-to-front comparison: 3180's cab livery is a little fussy. I prefer the staggered red stripe on 60016; the red stripe on 3180 is absent at the front. 3180 gets a point for having a footplate enabling easier access to the cab; 60016's dark bley wheel arches are arguably less jarring than 3180's white ones. I'm not really sure about the necessity of orange beacons on the cab roofs of either; however, the rounded lights on 60016 are more realistic - and less obtrusive - than 3180's cones. Visible here are 3180's gearstick, and the provision of both mustard and ketchup! Conclusion 'Here - that'll be £2.98 for your five millilitres of petrol, sir.' Tanker trucks are a staple - a necessity - of the LEGO Town/CITY range and have been since 1978. 2013's latest addition provides a smart, attractive addition to the range, and its Octan livery is compatible with other fuel-carrying vehicles or features from the CITY and even Trains lines; it will even sit quite happily alongside the earlier 3180. As a standalone set, it's a little lacking in play features, though perhaps there is no less than we should expect; it is crying out for a new Octan petrol station to be added to the CITY range - we haven't seen one since 2007. I hope you'll agree 60016's tanker is a beautiful truck - the livery is clean and flatters the shape of the vehicle; its lines are smart and a definite improvement over some of 3180's rough edges; even the stickers look great! My only real criticism, aside from the somewhat lacklustre figure, are that as an single-chassis vehicle it lacks a degree of realism compared to most articulated tanker trucks that I see on a typical British road. Scores Design: 10 I think this is a beautiful truck. I simply love the colour scheme, which is brought to life by carefully-designed stickers, and which flatters the clean lines of the truck. The cab's front is tastefully rendered, and the whole very realistic - you could almost imagine you were looking at a scale model. Build: 8 Never repetitive, and with a few interesting techniques, it's a fun build, albeit perhaps better suited to a younger builder if you prefer a challenge. There are a good few tricks in SNOTting to be admired, and a minor lesson in offsetting in the build of the pump. Parts: 6 There really isn't much you probably don't already have in your collection, especially if you own 3180. The figure is rather old-hat and a little disappointing if you're on the lookout for new faces or torsos; I'd have preferred a quirkier set of facial features, for a start - as he is, Dave is a little devoid of personality. Playability: 7 Compared to some other CITY vehicles, there isn't much to do with this set on its own. It comes into life as a service vehicle for a larger town, and would be particularly happy accompanying the recent Airport set... but most of all, it's pining for a new Petrol Station. Please! Value: 7 £17.99 represents a significant hike of this price niche. The similarly-sized 'Collect them all!' sets from 2012 were all £14.99, as indeed was the 30-piece larger 3180. Inflation sucks, and I'm sure TLG knows what it's doing, but it's a little pricey for the collection of parts. The whole, however, is a thing of beauty, and I for one won't regret the outlay. Overall: 75% My score: 9/10 Aesthetics wins over arithmetic here - I love this. I think you will too. Thanks for reading - I hope you enjoyed the review! Please leave comments. Rufus Compare the evolution of the Octan tanker and my reviewing skills in my 3180 review! My flickr set If you like my reviews, and would like to learn how it's done, please consider joining the Reviewers Academy: Quote
Rumble Strike Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Lovely review as always, Rufus. Your title picture is just amazing! I have to admit, I never got round to getting 3180 but seeing them side by side the tractor-trailer looks more realistic to me than this newer one, although the new one does look a bit smarter visually. Quote
proraptor Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 I love the new tanker.....i want to add a trailer to it like the ones we have here in the us Quote
-obelix- Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 As usual amazing review! I agree completely with final score, aesthetics are a winner here. I skipped the last tanker, but I cant wait to get this set - and your review helped me decide. Thanks Rufus! Quote
Galaxy Explorer Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Great review! I picked this set up a couple of weeks ago and I love it! It's a very solid, sturdy vehicle and serves as a great add-on to last year's Parking Garage. I do wish, however, that the minifig used a blue Octan torso rather than overalls. Nothing I can't change, though, so no big deal. Although there was a Tanker Truck released in 2010, I consider the current version to be an update of the Tanker seen in 6562 Gas Stop Shop from 1995. Quote
lightningtiger Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Thanks 'Rufus' for this review, great truck design but I have an issue with a few things........one is the hoses are on the wrong things.....the thin hose goes on the pump and the thick shorter one on the truck just like they actually did on the 60002 fire truck and the second is the pump it's self.....what realistic design is this one based on ? Well at least the truck's good eh ? Quote
cpw Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Obviously, 3180 is a tractor-trailer (semi-container) arrangement compared to 60016's single chassis. 3180 is therefore longer, and more manouverable; in addition, it is perhaps a little more realistic: while examples of both types exist in real life, in the UK at least most tanker trucks you'll see on the road have a tractor-trailer configuration. The single-chassis tankers might be found more commonly at airports, for example. ... I hope you'll agree 60016's tanker is a beautiful truck - the livery is clean and flatters the shape of the vehicle; its lines are smart and a definite improvement over some of 3180's rough edges; even the stickers look great! My only real criticism, aside from the somewhat lacklustre figure, are that as an single-chassis vehicle it lacks a degree of realism compared to most articulated tanker trucks that I see on a typical British road. Where I live in New York, both types of trucks are fairly common. The semi's deliver to gas stations, but the single-chassis tankers are out and about delivering heating oil to homes. The review was great, I wanted one of these to go with my 3180 before, but now I really want one. Thanks! Quote
Ferrik Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 A great-quality review, Rufus. I think the three Octan colours were used in a very simple way for the tanker truck but it looks perfect. The hose reel looks like a great play feature. Quote
XimenaPaulina Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Thanks for another informative review Rufus, it's always enjoyable reading your take on CITY sets. Most of the time, your reviews convince me to buy sets that I don't normally plan to purchase, but this time it's not the case - not really your fault, but the set itself. While I see some commendable details in this model that was not in the previous Octan Tanker, I still prefer the 2010 version for its trailer set-up (more common, and gives more truck variation vs. other single-chassis CITY trucks), the more prominent grills and more protruding bumper in front, and the fact that the driver wears the Octan uniform. I guess having a new Octan Tanker every once in a while gives others the chance to own this truck, but personally, if I had the chance to buy the 3180, I'd certainly pick it over this one. They are accompanied by two loose parts: the hose-and-gun combo. Only one is required in the set; whether the second will appear in everyone's, or I've just been lucky, remains to be seen. I believe this is a new 'extra giveaway' since I also got two hose-gun assembly in my 60002 Fire Truck. Kinda unusual to be a spare part considering most extras are the typical small 1x1 elements, but I guess it's a pre-emptive move just in case one of the hose-gun assembly suffers from too much wear-and-tear from kid's play. Quote
LEGO Guy Bri Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Great review Rufus! This one is night and day compare to your 3180! I am really looking forward to getting this set sometime. You make a good point about where you'd see this truck, the airport. Or for that matter, these are the type of trucks that would deliver our fuel for the coal company I worked for years ago. So, they'd be right at home with the new mine sets, as well. Although, these may be used more in Europe with the cab-over design? I don't see too many of those unless they are a smaller commercial trucks (single axle). Most of the larger trucks here have a snout. Either way, this is a great looking truck Quote
jamesqsixsix Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Octan appears to be green washing their image I like how the leaf motif is similar to shells. Quote
PsyKater Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Thanks for your review and those superb photos! I can't wait to get couples of those. I am a big Octan fan. Somebody mentioned that it is unusual that a tanker truck has exhaust pipes next to the tanks. Not sure if I will change that. Quote
King Aragorn Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Amazing set and very detailed review! Quote
JopieK Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 This set was actually designed by a Dutch AFOL (Fred Beijert), he has displayed (and sold) it already for some years at LEGOWorld etc. Quote
PsyKater Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 This set was actually designed by a Dutch AFOL (Fred Beijert), he has displayed (and sold) it already for some years at LEGOWorld etc. Are you sure about this? Can you prove it somehow? Quote
Peppermint_M Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 I like that, I'll have to buy one. The earlier tanker has already been stripped for parts when I built my Octan sponsored racing car so a new design would make a nice replacement. The colour blocking is certainly attractive and the front design is pretty stylish. Thanks for the review (The only issue with this year is my "Buy EVERYTHING!" price point has increased to £20 and under...) Quote
PsyKater Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Why is this set available in the US via Shop@Home yet? Isn't it a March set in US as well? Quote
Flipz Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Interesting review. It's still not enough to tempt me to start collecting City or anything, but I find it very interesting that Octan is apparently trying to "go green," as evidenced by the leaves on the "Octan Energy" logo. Is LEGO world running out of crude oil? Or is *insert unpopular theme here* conspiring to keep this crucial resource away from those who support freedom, imagination, and the LEGO way of life?!? More at eleven. Quote
Big Cam Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Rufus, your main picture with the gas stop in the background is just perfect. I love that shot. You have always been one of the best reviewers, but you are really bringing things up a notch. I love the Octan trucks, I have a really old one from my childhood and it's nice to see them making new ones over and over. This is the kind of truck you could easily have multiples of, or multiple versions and you'd never have enough. A beautiful review, and a great set. Thanks Rufus! Quote
Phazon Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Thanks for the review, I enjoyed reading every part of it! You amazed me with the good quality pictures. The picture of the back is what's bothering me. It's just that you can see some holes in a petrol tank, which would cause explosions if it was the real thing. I don't like the aesthetics of that part, the rest looks better than the older version. In this shot, the gap in the black layer between the front headlights is a little obvious, but it isn't the end of the world. You can see that there is a gap between the botom section and the cab, just like the Lego version. I could be mistaken, but I think that this is part of the truck's suspension. Diesel Dave doesn't like to assemble the bumper after every bumpy ride. Quote
Rufus Posted January 17, 2013 Author Posted January 17, 2013 Thanks everyone for your comments! I have to admit, I never got round to getting 3180 but seeing them side by side the tractor-trailer looks more realistic to me than this newer one, although the new one does look a bit smarter visually. You've very succinctly summed up my take on this set! Thanks 'Rufus' for this review, great truck design but I have an issue with a few things........one is the hoses are on the wrong things.....the thin hose goes on the pump and the thick shorter one on the truck just like they actually did on the 60002 fire truck and the second is the pump it's self.....what realistic design is this one based on ? I agree, reversing the hose configuration would make more sense from a realism point of view, but I think the extendable hose reel on the turck is the centrepiece play feature, so I can see why they did it that way. Can't answer your other question though - I'm not sure if it's based on a real design, but it looks like it should be. Where I live in New York, both types of trucks are fairly common. The semi's deliver to gas stations, but the single-chassis tankers are out and about delivering heating oil to homes. I guess they'd be more common in rural or sparsely-populated areas that aren't connected to mains gas supplies. We certainly don't see many single-chassis designs in the urban centres of the UK. While I see some commendable details in this model that was not in the previous Octan Tanker, I still prefer the 2010 version for its trailer set-up (more common, and gives more truck variation vs. other single-chassis CITY trucks), the more prominent grills and more protruding bumper in front, and the fact that the driver wears the Octan uniform. I guess having a new Octan Tanker every once in a while gives others the chance to own this truck, but personally, if I had the chance to buy the 3180, I'd certainly pick it over this one. True! I certainly preferred the front grille designs of most trucks from 2006-2010 to the recent stickered varieties, but this is an exception in my view. I believe this is a new 'extra giveaway' since I also got two hose-gun assembly in my 60002 Fire Truck. Kinda unusual to be a spare part considering most extras are the typical small 1x1 elements, but I guess it's a pre-emptive move just in case one of the hose-gun assembly suffers from too much wear-and-tear from kid's play. I'm not sure TLG ever deliberately supply spare parts (except when needed for alternative models eg. some CREATOR sets); my understanding is that packaging is automated by weight so the machines are programmed to err on the side of caution to prevent missing pieces, where the tolerances of the machine can't cope with differentiating the weight of smaller pieces. I think that makes sense! But you might well be right in this case. Although, these may be used more in Europe with the cab-over design? I don't see too many of those unless they are a smaller commercial trucks (single axle). Most of the larger trucks here have a snout. Either way, this is a great looking truck Cab over the engine is the usual design in most parts of Europe, I believe. I've always assumed it was a space thing. Somebody mentioned that it is unusual that a tanker truck has exhaust pipes next to the tanks. Not sure if I will change that. A quick search on Google Images suggests you might be right. I'm not sure where the exhausts should go. Anyone? This set was actually designed by a Dutch AFOL (Fred Beijert), he has displayed (and sold) it already for some years at LEGOWorld etc. Interesting! I'm surprised TLG didn't put a comment about this on the set. The initials on the registration (HS) might suggest something else though? Assuming those are LEGO designers' initials, as I've been led to understand! Why is this set available in the US via Shop@Home yet? Isn't it a March set in US as well? If I change my S@H region to US, it says it's available now. http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Tanker-Truck-60016?_requestid=2618864 I love the Octan trucks, I have a really old one from my childhood and it's nice to see them making new ones over and over. This is the kind of truck you could easily have multiples of, or multiple versions and you'd never have enough. Thanks Cam! I'd love to get a whole fleet of Octan trucks (this and 3180). We'd need a refinery too! Quote
KurttKrueger Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 I've always liked civilian vehicles from Lego, but only ever bought one or two since coming out of my dark ages. The trucks and vehicles being produced by Lego over the last few years have really grabbed my attention, so I think I'm going to start buying them, starting with this one. I thank you for this review, my wallet and wife do not, however :) Quote
Rufus Posted January 17, 2013 Author Posted January 17, 2013 Thanks for the review, I enjoyed reading every part of it! You amazed me with the good quality pictures. The picture of the back is what's bothering me. It's just that you can see some holes in a petrol tank, which would cause explosions if it was the real thing. I don't like the aesthetics of that part, the rest looks better than the older version. Agreed. They could fix this with a radar dish or similar, but it might be tricky to get centred, and it would interfere with the ladder. Requires a little suspension of disbelief. You can see that there is a gap between the botom section and the cab, just like the Lego version. I could be mistaken, but I think that this is part of the truck's suspension. Diesel Dave doesn't like to assemble the bumper after every bumpy ride. You're right; usually in trucks like these, the cab is suspended above the chassis and engine, which produces a little gap. What I was referring to is the excessive gap caused by the assembly of black plates and tiles under the cab (the side plates are set a stud back from the tiles). It wouldn't be possible to correct this with currently available molds, I don't think. Perhaps I should make this clear. Quote
CopMike Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Damn you Rufus for your perfect pictures, well written text and deep knowledge of how to get a person addicted! Now I just have to go Octan :-)! This set was actually designed by a Dutch AFOL (Fred Beijert), he has displayed (and sold) it already for some years at LEGOWorld etc. Do you mean Freek Beijert/Trainspotter? I've searched for pictures of him of something like the tanker but haven't found any. Can you show some? Quote
JopieK Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Are you sure about this? Can you prove it somehow? Well, I found a picture of it... link since it is very wide: link See in the middle just behind the crane, it is that truck but you can't see the front. Quote
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